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MIKE GANTER, QMI Agency

Chris Bosh doesn’t need to read the newspapers to know his game has changed. He lives it each and every night.

So when it’s mentioned that he has averaged just six free throw attempts in his past six games and had 19 turnovers over his past four, Bosh shakes his head knowingly.

On Saturday he explained why he thought his numbers weren’t quite up to their normal lofty levels.

“Coming back from an injury, it takes a little time, but this one has taken a little longer because they have thrown different packages at me,” Bosh said of the defensive treatment he has received since sitting out seven games with a wonky ankle.

“They’ve really been double teaming me aggressively, so my scoring isn’t going to be what it was. I understand that. I just have to keep the ball moving and cut my turnovers down.”

Bosh isn’t sure he can move the ball out of double teams any quicker than he already is, but he knows he has to be more precise when he does move it because he doesn’t see this trend ending any time soon.

“I was very surprised at how aggressive the coverages have been,” he said. “But everyone watches the games, so I won’t be surprised if I see that for the rest of the season.”

It was put to Bosh that many believe his recent tendency to shy away from contact and settle for jumpers is the result of further damage to his right knee rather than an ankle injury.

While admitting he understood such speculation, Bosh pointed out that the injury was to his left ankle and that he wears a brace on his right knee.

Raptors head coach Jay Triano confirmed the last three teams to face the Raptors have all taken a different approach with Bosh.

“Is that different from earlier in the year? Probably not,” Triano said answering his own question, “but he’s seeing different looks every game.

“Last night the Nuggets crushed. The Jazz came off the cutter and the team before that was coming off the middle guy.”

Triano says he doesn’t need Bosh to be the big point getter every night but if he’s not, he has to be getting the ball into the hands of guys who do have opportunities to score.

“He can be the facilitator,” Triano said. “We need him to be efficient enough for teams to double team him so he can make plays for other people as well.”